The Coffee Commune Advocating for Café Industry on Channel 10
The Coffee Commune continues to make headlines, with Channel 10 News recently showcasing our commitment to supporting cafés through challenging times. As costs rise across the board, we’re working to ensure the voices of small business owners are heard.
Managing Director of The Coffee Commune, Phillip Di Bella, spoke about the unique pressures café owners are facing, noting, “This is the first time in 35 years that I’ve seen all expenses go up at once.” From rising coffee bean prices to increasing energy costs, these pressures are squeezing profits. Di Bella highlighted that “cafés now make roughly a dollar in profit per coffee,” illustrating the razor-thin margins many are working with.
The report pointed out that only 20% of café owners are making a profit, while 60% are treading water and the rest are losing money. “The future of hospitality as we know it is going to go from about 26,000 cafés in Australia down to about 21 or 22,000 in the next 24 months,” if current trends continue. While small businesses aren’t asking for handouts, they do want governments to listen and take action. “We’re not asking government to have the answers. In most cases, we’ve got the answer for you. We just want governments to listen.”
The Coffee Commune’s growing media presence underscores our dedication to small business advocacy. As our platform expands, we continue to push for reforms that will support cafés, reduce costs, and help businesses remain a vital part of our community.